Funding conference
FHWA administrator among featured speakers
Federal Highway Administrator Tom Madison will be among the featured speakers at the seventh in a series of statewide meetings examining how best to pay for the growing backlog of repair, maintenance and improvement needs for Idaho's roads and bridges.
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Public, local officials respond to revenue questions
Elected officials and citizens throughout Idaho expressed a sincere interest in the transportation system and developing additional resources to fund improvements when they participated in a series of statewide conferences the past month. Gov. C.L. “Butch” Otter called for the conferences to explain the growing local and statewide funding shortfall, estimated to be $240 million annually.
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Crucial note: Time Sheet changes Employees need to learn new process More than a year in the planning and testing process, ITD Advantage 3.7 will make a debut to the transportation department on Labor Day weekend, announces Ken Stewart and Dave Merriweather. Advantage 3.7 is a major upgrade to the financial, human resources and procurement system that was introduced in late 2005 and early 2006.  Many of the functions remain unchanged in the newest version, but accessing those functions might be different, especially time sheet data entry, which affects almost all ITD employees. Continue

School doors reopen -- Caution needed

School zones to be filled with children, cars
Bicycle paths, sidewalks and school playgrounds will return to life as children throughout Idaho head back to class this fall. The corresponding increase in traffic near schools will require that drivers and children use extreme caution during the morning and afternoon commutes ITD joins public and private partners statewide in urging motorists to use caution in areas where children are likely to be present, both during school hours and school commutes.
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Drivers urged to watch for stopped school buses
Motorists should be keenly aware of the risks that accompany the reopening of schools as more children use sidewalks and bicycle paths. But drivers also need to watch for buses transporting children to and from schools in the morning and afternoon. Buses often stop in travel lanes, requiring approaching vehicles to slow or stop.
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Children should be careful traveling to school
ITD recommends that parents and teachers share important information with children to improve safety of school commutes.
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Bicyclists, pedestrians need to be visible, vigilant
ITD recommends that children walk to school if they live within a reasonable distance of if they can do so safely. The added daily physical activity is healthy and teaches important traffic safety skills. Parents can help reduce traffic congestion in school zones by parking their vehicles and walking with their child to school. Walking or bicycling to school also reduces unnecessary air pollution.
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Headquarters
New community garden could take root at campus
A small parcel of ITD’s 44-acre Headquarters campus could bear fruit – or at least vegetables – next year if enough employees volunteer to be part of a unique community garden concept. Public Information Officer Jeff Stratten recently introduced the idea to the ITD executive team, asking for approval to pursue the concept as a community service project. He proposed establishing a garden on the complex, possibly between the Annex and the supply warehouse.
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Meetings
New process introduced for booking conference rooms
Beginning today (Friday Aug. 22), new procedures are in place for booking Headquarters conference rooms. Please read and follow these instructions. If you do not follow these instructions correctly, you will get an error message, and you may even lose your room reservation or your equipment reservation. 
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Highway safety
Unique crosswalk helps pedestrians cross Nampa street
The crossing of 11th Avenue in Nampa (part of Interstate 84-Business) became much safer for pedestrians this week. Pedestrian safety proponents throughout the Valley joined the city of Nampa in celebrating the opening of an innovative new crosswalk. The Wednesday (Aug. 20) ribbon-cutting ceremony took place at Paul’s Market near the site.
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Patrols to watch for impaired drivers over Labor Day weekend
Idaho law enforcement agencies are out in force through Sept. 3 searching for and arresting impaired drivers as part of a nationwide Labor Day crackdown on drunk driving. The timing for the crackdown is significant because the Labor Day holiday period has become a time when many drivers make the deadly decision to drive drunk
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Published previously

Transportation audit
Pennsylvania firm to conduct review of department
The legislative Office of Performance Evaluations announces its contract with a Pennsylvania based company Avant IMC, LLC, to conduct a performance audit of the transportation department. Last session, the Legislature requested an independent, objective performance audit as outlined in House Concurrent Resolution No. 50.
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Performance office
Director announces creation of Performance Management Office
ITD Director Pam Lowe announced this week creation of a new Performance Management Office that will track efficiencies and performances internally.The office will function as part of the Division of Administration under administrator Dave Tolman.
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Architecture
Conference to explore mid-century design
ITD will join five other organizations in sponsoring a two-day conference Sept. 4, 5, that focuses on mid-century architecture and historic preservation. Modernism in the Northwest will bring national and local experts to Boise for discussions that range from mid-century architectural styles and interior design to recording and evaluating the recent past, and a bus tour of Boise’s mid-century architecture, including ITD Headquarter that was constructed in 1961.
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Administrative conference
Employees to gather for 21st annual event
Formal presentations, a team-building activity and luncheon await administrative personnel from throughout the state when they assemble Sept. 11 for the 21st annual ITD Administrative Support Workshop in Boise. The workshop theme appropriately focuses on “Sailing to Success,” by providing participants opportunities to learn from each other and to explore topics that relate to their professional careers.
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HRD training schedule
	Sept. 10, 11	Managing Performance
	Oct. 28-30	Basic Communication
	Nov. 18-20	Intermediate Communication
	Dec. 9-11	Introduction to Supervision
This schedule represents training classes available at Headquarters. For schedules at specific districts, please contact your EST or refer to the training calendar.